Pivoted distributor arm supporting a discharge hose in a liquid dispensing device



Jan. 5, 1965 J. HRDINA 3,164,307

PIVOTED DISTRIBUTOR ARM SUPPORTING A DISCHARGE HOSE IN A LIQUIDDISPENSING DEVICE Filed Nov. 14, 1962 49% I ll Mm IN VEN TOR.

J IRI HRDINA BY 5; Q4.

Attorney United States Patent 3,164,307 PIVOTED DISTRIBUTOR ARMSUPPGRTING DISCHARGE HOSE IN A LIQUID DESPENSING DEVICE Jii'i Hrdina,Prague, Czechoslovakia, assignor to Ceskoslovenska akademie ved, PragueCzechoslovakia, a corporation of Czechoslovakia Filed Nov. 14, 1962,Ser. No. 237,561 Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia, Nov. 18,1961, 6,832/61 6 Clm'ms. (Cl. 222527) The present invention relates to aliquid dispensing device and more particularly to a device of this typesupplying liquid to vessels placed in a plurality of circular rowsaround a rotary fraction collector in preparatory chromatography and insimilar processes, where a relatively large number of fractions has tobe collected.

In dispensing devices heretofore used, fractions are collected invessels which are placed in one circle around a rotary collector, whoserotatable part carries an arm, usually a simple tube arranged forstepwise rotary movement and provided with a mouthpiece from which theliquid to be collected is discharged, the mouthpiece travelling step bystep above the collecting vessels. These known devices usually collectthe liquid in bottles, whose necks are provided with funnels almostcontacting one another, in order to prevent the liquid from flowingoutside the bottles during the periods when the mouthpiece travels fromone bottle to the next.

In said known collecting devices the positioning of the vessels inrelation to the collector has to be performed with great care and thenumber of fractions to be collected is limited by the size and shape ofthe vessels and their above referred to funnels which have to conform tothe number of steps which the collector is able to effect during onerevolution and, which are available in a limited number of types andfurther in view of the available working space and the length of thedescribing arm.

The present invention aims at removing the aforementioned disadvantages.According to my invention the vessels are placed in a plurality ofconcentric circular rows or in a continuing helical row and the knownrigid distributing arm is replaced by an arm permitting the mouthpiecefor the discharge of the liquid to be brought successively intooperative positions relative to receiving vessels which are at leastpartly differently distanced from the rotational axis of thedistributing arm.

The distributor arm according to the invention rotating with a spindleof a rotatable fraction collector comprises a central or base part and aperipheral or extension part; the outer end of the central part isjournaled to one end of the peripheral part of the distributor arm, theother end of said peripheral arm adjustably supporting a holder for thesupply hose. The saidparts of the distributor arm are connected byspring catch means for example it garries at that end where it isjournalled to the central part of the arm, asegment provided withnotches, in which a roller is pressed by a spring, said roller beingmounted on a lever arranged for rocking movement in the central part ofthe arm The end of the immovable axis of the rotary fraction collectorcarries an immovable arm with a roller adapted to engage one of theguide members secured to an auxiliary segment which is journalled forswivelling movement about an axis fixed in the central part of thedistributor arm. The rotatable auxiliary segment is connected to theperipheral part of the distributor arm by means of a connecting rod andpins.

When the vessels are placed in a continuous spiral,

the auxiliary segment, which is rotatable about the axis fixed in thecentral part of the distributor arm, carries a guide roller engaging aspiral guide fixed by means of a plate to the immovable axis of therotary fraction collector.

The distributor arm according to the invention can be arranged as asupplementary device in connection with most conventional types ofrotary fraction collectors as are generally used in laboratories.

In order that the invention may clearly be understood and readilycarried into effect, it will now be described in detail with referenceto the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 shows schematically,certain parts shown in FIG. 2 being omitted, an elevational sectionalview of my new device.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view thereof, and

FIG. 3 shows in elevational section a modified detail of the device.

The same reference numerals indicate the same parts in all figures. Inthe embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 a conventional rotaryfraction collector is represented by disk 4 attached to a stepwiserotatable hollow shaft 3 which is rotatably mounted on a stationary axle18. The upper end of this axle extends beyond the hollow shaft 3 and aradially extending arm 17 is adjustably fastened thereto.

A distributor arm consisting of an arm base 1 attached to the'shaft 3and an arm extension 6 jointed thereto by pivot 5 guides the dischargeend of a supply hose 8 stepwise to a plurality of receiving vesselsarranged in at least two concentric circular rows in even spacingsconforming to stepwise displacement of the discharge end of the hose 8.This discharge end is held in a holder 7 which is adjustably attached tothe outer end of the arm extension 6 for example by a screw 10 engaginga slot 9 thereof.

The arm extension 6 is held by conventional spring catch means invariable angular positions relative to the arm base 1 so that theeffective rotational radius of the discharge end of the supply hose 8held by its holder 7 may be changed. For example as shown the armextension 6 may be provided with a ratchet segment 11 attached theretoand including notches 15 which are engaged by a roller 12 of a pawl 13swingably mounted on the arm base 1 and loaded by a spring 14 to ensurethe engagement of the roller 12 into one or the other notch 15. It willbe understood that the arm extension 6 will partake in the stepwiserotation of the spindle 3 and that the discharge end of the hose willrotate in different circular rows as the roller 12 engages one or theother notch 15.

The radially extending arm 17 attached to the stationary axle 18 holds afollower such as roller 16 which is adapted to engage successively aplurality of steering plates 1%, 19b, 19c and to pass through the spacebetween neighboring steering plates. These steering plates are supportedby a swing member 20 pivotable about stud 21 on arm base 1 and the swingmember 20 is linked to the arm extension 6 by a connecting rod 22 at 23,24 in such manner that the joints 5, 21, 23, 24 define a parallelogramlinkage as indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 2.

My distributing devices operates as follows:

After roller 16 has engaged steering plate 19a, and v the distributingarm 1-6 hascompleted a full revolution in anticlockwise direction asindicated by the arrow in FIG. 2, said roller 16 engages the steeringplate 1% and passes between the neighboring steering plates 19b, 190,until after another full revolution of the distributing arm 1-6 itengages the steering plate thereby causing the swing member 20 to turnin three stages in clockwise direction and to push by means of theconnecting rod 22 the arm extension 6 outwardly until the roller 12snaps into the next notch 15 of the ratchet member 11, bringing thedischarge end of the hose 3 into operational location 63 relative to thenext following circular row of receiving vessels. 7

If there is no objection against radially extending the stationary arm17, the base member 24 may be pivoted directly on the pivot 5 thuseliminating the connecting rod 22. The amended device will operate asdescribed before.

If desired the receiving vessels may be placed evenly spaced in acontinuously helical row around the fraction collector. In this case thedevice is modified as indicated in FIG. 3. The swing plate 24 isprovided with a roller or other follower 3B which engages a spiralshaped steering member 31 arranged on the support 32 fixed to thestationary axle 18. The spring catch members 11, 12, 13, 14 may also bemodified in any known manner to permi t a controlled swing movement ofthe arm extension 6 relative to the arm base 1.

Where a great'number of rows is used and when the vessels have to beplaced closely next to each other so as to achieve the advantage of anautomatic fixing of the vessels Without any holders or without the needof placing the vessels on marking or the like, the device has to besupplemented by a correction member, for instance by substituting arolling'joint for the simple rotatable joint 5 in order to link theparts of the arm together. A more general additional-movement can thusbe achieved, said movement following exactly also the shapes of generalspiral arcs.

If required, the vessels may be placed in a continuous spiral. In thisevent the mechanism of the distributor arm has to be modified so as toeffect the corresponding part of a radial displacement of the hosemouthpiece upon each step of the collector.

This is accomplished according to the invention in a way showndiagrammatically in FIG. 2. The auxiliary segment 20 mounted forrotation about the axis 21 arranged in the central part 1 of thedistributor arm, carries a roller or follower 35 which engages a spiralguide 31 fixed by means of apl-ate 32 to the immovable axis 18 of therotatable fraction collector.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a rotary fraction collector dispensing means forsupplying liquids to stationary receiving vessels placed evenly spacedin a plurality of circular rows centered on the rotatable central shaftof the collector, particularly for use in preparatory chromatography,said dispensing means comprising (a) a two-part distributor armincluding an arm base fixed for stepwise rotation to the central shaftof the collector and an arm extension jointed with one end to the armbase;

(b) a supply hose for carrying liquid to the receiving vessels;

(c) holding means for the discharge end of the supply hose at the freeend of the arm extension;

(d) spring catch means between the arm base and the arm extension tohold these distributor arm parts ternporarily in different angularrelation and thus to vary the effective rotational radius of thedischarge end of the supply hose;

(e) and indexing means associated with the distributor arm par-ts andadapted to change the said angular relation aftereach full revolution ofthe arm base, thereby placing the discharge end of the supply hose inoperational position relative to the receiving vessels arranged inconcentric circular rows.

2. Dispensing means according to claim 1 wherein the said indexing meanscomprise a plurality of steering plates; a support for said platesswingably mounted on the arm base; a connecting rod linking said supportwith the arm extension in a parallelogram linkage; and a stationaryfollower mounted for succeeding cooperation with the said steeringplates.

3. Dispensing means according to claim 1 wherein the said indexing meanscomprise a plurality of steering plates; a support for said platesswingably mounted on the arm base; a connecting rod linking said supportwith the arm extension in a parallelogram linkage; a stationary axlecoaxial with the rotatable shaft of the collector; an arm fixed to saidaxle; and a follower at the free end of said arm for succeedingcooperation with the said steering plates.

4. Dispensing means according to claim 1 comprising a plurality ofsteering plates; a support for said plates swingably mounted on the armbase at its joint with the arm extension; connecting means between saidsupport and the arm extension; and a stationary follower mounted forsucceeding cooperation with the steering plates.

5. Dispensing means according to claim 1 wherein the said indexing meanscomprising a plurality of steering plates mounted on the arm extensionand a stationary follower mounted for succeeding cooperation therewith.

6. In combination with a rotary fraction collector dispensing means forsupply liquids to stationary receiving vessels placed evenly spaced in ahelical row centered on the rotational axis of the central shaft of thecollector, particularly for use in preparatory chromatography, saiddispensing means comprising (a) a two-part distributor arm including anarm base fixed for stepwise rotation to the central shaft of thecollector and an arm extension jointed with one end to the arm base;

(12) a supply hose for carrying liquid to the receiving vessels;

(0) holding means for the discharge end of the supply hose at the freeend of the arm extension;

(d) spring catch means between the arm base and the arm extension tohold these distributor arm parts temporarily in different angularrelation and thus to vary the efiective rotational radius of thedischarge end of the supply hose;

(e) a follower and a support therefor swingably mounted on the arm base;

(f) a connecting rod linking said support with the arm extension in aparallelogram linkage;

(g) a stationary helically shaped steering member cocentered with therotational axis of the central shaft of the colector and mounted forengagement with said follower.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 789,728 5/05Hinrichs et al. 1,238,910 9/17 Henderson 74-529 2,654,522 10/53 Gorham141130 X 2,712,403 7/55 Eckles 222-527 X 2,894,542 7/59 Alrn l4ll302,997,077 8/61 Rodrigves 141-130 3,063,528 11/62 Wood 74-529 X 3,081,1583/63 Winter 141-130 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A ROTARY FRACTION COLLECTOR DISPENSING MEANS FORSUPPLYING LIQUIDS TO STATIONARY RECEIVING VESSELS PLACED EVENLY SPACEDIN A PLURALITY OF CIRCULAR ROWS CENTERED ON THE ROTATABLE CENTRAL SHAFTOF THE COLLECTOR, PARTICULARLY FOR USE IN PREPARATORY CHROMATOGRAPHY,SAID DISPENSING MEANS COMPRISING (A) A TWO-PART DISTRIBUTOR ARMINCLUDING AN ARM BASE FIXED FOR STEPWISE ROTATION TO THE CENTRAL SHAFTOF THE COLLECTOR AND AN ARM EXTENSION JOINTED WITH ONE END TO THE ARMBASE; (B) A SUPPLY HOSE FOR CARRYING LIQUID TO THE RECEIVING VESSELS;(C) HOLDING MEANS FOR THE DISCHARGE END OF THE SUPPLY HOSE AT THE FREEEND OF THE ARM EXTENSION; (D) SPRING CATCH MEANS BETWEEN THE ARM BASEAND THE ARM EXTENSION TO HOLD THESE DISTRIBUTOR ARM PARTS TEMPORARILY INDIFFERENT ANGULAR RELATION AND THUS TO VARY THE EFFECTIVE ROTATIONALRADIUS OF THE DISCHARGE END OF THE SUPPLY HOSE; (E) AND INDEXING MEANSASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTRIBUTOR ARM PARTS AND ADAPTED TO CHANGE THE SAIDANGULAR RELATIONAFTER EACH FULL REVOLUTION OF THE ARM BASE, THEREBYPLACING THE DISCHARGE END OF THE SUPPLY HOSE IN OPERATIONAL POSITIONRELATIVE TO THE RECEIVING VESSELS ARRANGED IN CONCENTRIC CIRCULAR ROWS.